Mon.-Still in Nantucket. Woke up at 7. Naomi was out on sofa because she had felt 'ruchy.' After breakfast we walked around town and did some shopping. I got a t-shirt for Nathan that says, "I still live with my parents." I bought myself a peach sweat shirt with the work Nantucket in white across the front. We bought our tickets for the ride across. We had lunch down at the harbor. I had a Thai chicken salad. It was so hot that Ashley took off her sweater and was plenty warm in her tank top. We sat on the front porch of the Robert's house and enjoyed our chocolates, chocolate 'cigars', coffees, and Chai Lattes. I laid down on the outside sofa and Naomi snoozed on the wicker chair and the girls read and relaxed and we all enjoyed the busy hum of people's voices and passing cars of this small vast island. Reluctant to leave, we stood in line to board the ferry to cross back over to Hyannis. (The name of this town was the butt of many jokes all weekend.) The girls and I stayed outside on the ferry for the crossing over. It was warmer and less wet than our earlier trip. It seemed to me that men kept coming out to look at Ashley. Finally, I aimed my camera right at one of them who was looking right at us and zoomed in. They stopped coming out to stare after that. She denies it all but I'm pretty sure that people thought I was the guardian of two movie stars. The girls had a certain beautiful flare about them and I can't blame people for taking pictures of them. I'm sure I took the most of anyone. I talked with Ashley about my thoughts about the difficulties that the blind man had after he was healed by Jesus. Now he could see the squalor, he had to work and be responsible. He could no longer beg. Ashley said, "But think of all the beauty he would have missed if he couldn't see." And the beauty of sight is worth the pain of seeing and the responsibility of working.
After we landed, the girls got the car while Naomi and I stayed with our luggage. Naomi loaded the car with the strength and organization of one so skilled as she. We hit the road around 6:30 PM and arrived home sometime after 1 AM. We played rhyming games, etc on the way home. We had played some IQ games on the way up. The rhyming game is one that I would play with my mother. The one person says the riddle-something like say 'Seafood Platter' and the answer has to rhyme. "Fish Dish." It was fun. We avoided nearly an hour of traffic jam but following Lauren's navigational skills. We got lost in Queens for about three minutes but our GPS rescued us quickly and brought us out through the lower level of the GW Bridge and as we passed all those stuck in the upper level-having just recently been there ourselves-one of the girls called out, 'Good bye Suckers!'
We all spent the night at Naomi's. Actually, I think Lauren went home. She lives about 15 min. away.
Tues.-We said good bye to Mabe and Ashley as they left in the morning. Naomi and I had coffee while she humored Tink by throwing him his new now-squeakless toy. He would fiercely growl at her while she tried to take his green rubber bone from him and then she would throw it and say, "This is the last time." She did this for awhile. Then we took off towards New Holland, stopping at Good's where we both purchased the same black sweater. We went to the bank, the Amish Walmart, to Stoltzfus' Meatmarket where I saw a video of a classmate of mine-Myron-whose family owns and runs the meat market. We bought a breakfast of milk and two 9 inch apple fritters. We went shopping at the outlets and had Mexican for lunch. We made out like a bandit shopping especially with Naomi's anointing for shopping. Things were 50-70 percent off and then we had a 10% off coupon. (I brought home a suitcase of new clothes from both shopping excursions.) We ended our big shopping day by going to see Ashley and Krissy's 4 story house on the outskirts of Lancaster city. It was built in 1905. We had stopped at Target and filled two three photo frames for Ashley and Lauren and gave it to them before heading out for supper at a local authentic Thai restaurant. Mabe joined us before we went and Krissy was there too. I love their house. They have painted it and decorated it and are about to tear up the carpet and put down hard wood laminate. Ashley downloaded several hundred of my photos I think. They are going to make a creative memory book or something like it. Back to the Thai restaurant. I ordered Chicken cashew and it was so spicy. Our waiter was from Malaysia. We had a nice little chat about Thailand. We walked back 'home' several blocks. Ashley informed me that I am no longer her mother's best friend but that I am now her best friend. I felt sad when it was time to say good bye to the girls. Naomi and I went back to her place. I tried on different things to make lots of different outfits. I'm 56 I think and I am trying to pay more attention to what I wear. It's about time, most likely. Hit the sack around 11:30 and it was nice to fall asleep to a windy thunderstorm.
Wed. Had coffee and yogurt parfait with Naomi and Tink. Repacked my bags. Said a sad good bye. Arrived at Mom and Dad's soon after 11. Had a nice catch up chat with Susan on the way. Mom served a great garden lunch of tomato, onion, kale, and cheese sandwiches, buttered beets, and homegrown watermelon. I did some wash and visited with Karen. We took a long walk up into the woods while Jonathan helped his Uncle Paul with firewood. Later, I watched Karen make whoopee pies and ate one. Jonathan is quite the little worker. He showed me how he scoops the poop in the barn. He knows what he's doing, too, and he'll only be four years old in December. He works with his dad, uncles, grandpa, and visits his grandma and aunts, and goes to preschool several mornings a week. He has a precious mama and has a wonderful life. Mom had another great supper from their garden-carrot salad, green beans from Karen's garden, ham, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and bread and butter with homemade jam. After supper is when Karen and I watched Jonathan work in the barn. Mom and I visited for awhile and then Linda came down and we talked for several hours and Brads joined us after he got back from wherever he was. I took a bath after they left and turned out the light before 11.
Thurs.-Celebrated Karen's birthday by going to Claires in Morgantown with Debra, Shirley-Debra's Mother, Mom, Karen, and Jonathan. Karen and I each got about 3 fried potatoes covered in about a pint of dried beef gravy. I kind of rolled around all morning. Jonathan showed me the farm-chicks, heifers, calves, lawn mowers, raspberries. First we helped Mom pick and shell pole limas. I went over and spent more time with Jonathan at his house. He plays with his tractors and dump trucks in K's flower garden. Had a lunch of limas and watermelon with Mom and then went back to Karen's for a pb whoopee pie. Lydia Virginia, Jeff and Karalee's baby, now 2 months old. came with her mother for the afternoon. Karalee was working on a sewing project. Mom and I took care of Lydia. She took a nap in my arms in my bed for at least an hour. She's the cutest little thing. I only took about a hundred pictures of her. Jonathan came over for supper and some of the eve. His daddy took his mommy up to Yoder's for her birthday. After supper, they came back and watched a little movie. I went over to Debra's and got a physics lesson from Brads which I actually understood about 20%. Brads, 15, and I took a moonlit walk up the lane to the woods and beyond and talked nonstop. What a dear young man is he. As I got ready for bed, I could hear Mom and Dad's radio. Hymns were singing them to sleep. I am so thankful for this family and this Hertzler farm. It is good to be reminded about what is important. Amen.
Fri.-I went to the drug store for Anne before I went to visit her. It was through several trials and errors that I realized I had given them her maiden last name instead of her married name. We had a breakfast of Shady Maple bagels with cream cheese and Ferne Kraybill's rhubarb blueberry jam, coffee, and homemade grape juice. We had a nice visit and it was good to be around David. We took lots of photos. I met Mom on the way home at Goodville Fabric. I bought 6 yd of red plaid fleece and 6 yd of camouflage fleece to make Michael and Philip fleece blankets. We had some late lunch and then I visited a little with Debra and Brads before they went wedding groomsmen suit shopping. Visited with Karen and Jonathan, Mom and Dad, and then packed a little. I read Dad's writings about Hopewell's history. Had supper-veg. soup, broccoli salad, tortilla circles, and pumpkin custard. Dad recited his favorite poem-"The Little Birds of God." Phil, Philip, and Susan arrived around 8. Joe, Karen, Jonathan, and Brads were here to greet them. Paul came a little later. Had mint tea, brownies, and pumpkin custard. Paul, Phil, Mom, Dad, and I, sat around and talked awhile longer after the other's left.
Sat.-Oct.11-Phil and I had a hurried breakfast with Mom and Dad. Delicious blueberry baked oatmeal. Then we connected with Philip, Michael, and Susan at Joe and Karen's to head to Petra for Steve and Katrina's wedding. How wonderful to see Nathan, Alli, Freeman, Rosalee and her family, Abie and his family, Alan and Carol and Kelly and her family, Aunt Esther-93, and Sissy, her daughter, Uncle Paul and Aunt Ann. Wonderful meaningful wedding service. The groom was teary eyed when he walked out and was openly weeping as Katrina, (my niece) walked down the aisle. When the wedding was over, the bride and groom dismissed us by rows and greeted us individually. They had a long limo waiting outside and after pictures, walked amidst well wishers blowing bubbles as they pretended to get in the limo for a photo op and then went back into the church for more photos. We all went over to Shady Maple and had appetizers, a full course meal, and salad bar. We sat with Alan, Carol, Kelly, Armand, Noah, and Gracie. Our kids sat together with Abby. Their request and Rosalee made sure it happened. We headed home-Susan, Phil, and I-around 3. Michael visited with Grandma and Grandpa before he headed home. He left early this morning to arrive in Pa. in good time for the wedding. Philip stayed up another day. We got home around 9.
Sun.-Church. Columbo mystery DVD's. (Debra loaned them to me.) Sitting, sleeping, resting. We're all very tired.
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